Member Associations

Guinea-Bissau is one tenth the size of its neighbour Guinea-Conakry, but its people suffer equally distressing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) problems. The Associação Guineense para o Bem Estar Familiar was established in 1993 to address the major issue in family planning: equipping couples to make active, informed choices about the number of children they would have, and when they would have them.   Since then, the Member Association’s work has expanded to embrace a full range of SRH concerns. It provides young people with information, education and communication (IEC) and behaviour change communication (BCC) around sexual and reproductive health; it works on the prevention, diagnosis and management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) includind HIV; it provides post-abortion care and support; it provides care for victims of gender-based violence (GBV); and it advocates strongly at government level for legislation to prevent GBV. Associação Guineense para o Bem Estar Familiar achieved these results through a small but committed team that operate over hundred service points, including static clinics and community-based service points. Despite the relatively small size of the organization, it is growing rapidly with strong central support from IPPF, influential government partnerships, and backing from non-governmental organizations including UNFPA.

The Foundation for Research on Women’s Health, Productivity and the Environment (BAFROW) is a non-profit organization that complements the development efforts of the Government of The Gambia and other national partners through a holistic and integrated Social and Economic Empowerment Program geared towards improving the quality of life of the most vulnerable and marginalized people, especially women and girls, in targeted rural and urban communities. The overall goal of our program is to empower communities to take charge of their health and economic well-being, with emphasis on their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). BAFROW’s approach Our approach is holistic, multi-dimensional and multi-sectoral and based on the principle that sound health is closely linked with economic well-being, knowledge and skills, conducive physical and social environments, good personal and environmental hygiene, and the absence of all cultural practices that affect the health and well-being of women and girls, thereby bridging gaps and creating linkages between these issues. Projects BAFROW’s main projects are: 1) Health promotion and health service delivery 2) Combatting practices that are harmful to health including female genital mutilation/ cutting (FGM/C) 3) HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support 4) Obstetric fistula treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration, and 5) Women’s economic empowerment and the environment Service delivery Our hospital, BAFROW Medical Centre which is operated under our Health promotion and health service delivery project, is registered as a commercial entity. The service delivery points of our two functional health facilities are: Serrekunda, Kanifing Municipality for BAFROW Medical Centre; and Mandinaba Village, Brikama Local Government Area for BAFROW’s Well Woman and Family Clinic.  BAFROW provides clinical services under the following specialized areas: Family Medicine Internal Medicine Cardiology Infant and Child Welfare/ Paediatrics Obstetrics and Gynaecology Specifically on SRHR, BAFRWO provides: Maternity care and services Fertility treatment (for both men and women) Abortion-related services Contraceptives & emergency contraceptives Sexually transmitted disease screening and treatment HIV testing; referrals for HIV treatment Care services for rape including PEP Screening and treatment or referrals if necessary for other diseases of the reproductive system Obstetric fistula reparation surgery, and rehabilitation and reintegration services Information, education and counselling for all the above and on other SRH issues Email: [email protected]